There are different reasons why the car engine does not start , in the following article we are going to work on the most frequent reasons that are presented today. Technology advances and there is less and less intervention by the user. Almost everything is controlled by a computer that integrates the vehicle, but they are some of those that influence the ignition even if the engine previously worked properly.
Discharged or defective battery
It is one of the frequent causes, sometimes people leave a device on , perhaps the radio, an open door that turns on the courtesy light, or perhaps the car lights. Any element that generates consumption added to a battery in regular conditions causes problems to start the engine .
How to identify what the battery is? Try playing the horn, a hoarse whistle is a sign that the battery is discharged, when turning the key we hear the click accompanied by an electrical noise on the dashboard and the dashboard indicators do not light.
Loose or sulphated battery terminal
The battery terminal is loose , this situation occurs when some service has been performed on the battery, it may be that it is not properly adjusted from its support and with the movement the terminals will loosen, in which case the hood and verify they are tight.
How to detect a sulphated terminal ? The sulphated terminal indicator is a green and white residue that forms between the battery terminal and the connector. Contact with moisture and an energy leak generates them . Sulfation isolates the terminal preventing contact . It can be cleaned with water and baking soda, or a little carbonated water (sparkling water).
Alarm and coded key
If the alarm and the coded key are the best, they prevent anyone from starting our car. Or try to open it. Some sophisticated alarms have an engine lock or immobilizer that sometimes knocks us off base. Others bring a code either in the key or in the car to start the vehicle and if you enter the key wrong more than a certain number of times you will be immobilized.
I’m going to leave you an anecdote, a friend called me a few months ago, I was at a service station putting fuel and I turned off the car, when I tried to start it, I did not respond, after a few attempts she called me and said that if I would help her.
We went with my sister-in-law’s husband, we tried in various ways to turn on but it didn’t even sound when we put the key in, we tried to turn it on by flashing (in the ignition switch the key is turned the number of times of the code) and nothing.
My sister-in-law’s husband broke the control and took the pile and rubbed the pile with my shirt for almost half an hour. I can tell you that although I was skeptical and told my friend I better go and bring the copy of the control to her house. Apparently after rubbing the battery with a cloth for half an hour, it took some charge and received the code and we were able to start the car. I must assure you that you must use best oil for 6.0 powerstroke if needed.
“I know that some are going to say that it is a lie, but it is serious” , almost that I have to cross the city from north to south to go through the spare control. Things of destiny or of God we do not know but it worked, maybe it will also work for someone, so watch out! charge a spare battery or control.
Low fuel level
This point is very frequent, incredible but true, the engine turns but does not start, surely the level is very low and they have not realized or thought they still had enough, after some tests we realize that the problem is simply lack of fuel .
Water in electrical or ignition system
Characteristic after we send the engine to be washed, water or humidity invades the ignition system causing in some way that the high voltage of the coils does not reach the spark plug electrodes, in many cases people are lucky and later Drying the motor well with compressed air turns it on again, in some other cases this does not occur as the humidity has wreaked havoc on electronic modules .
The recommendation is to avoid washing the car with water, there are techniques to clean without water like the one we saw in some of our articles. They should also be careful when they steam it, some do not take the precaution of protecting the electronic elements and yet water gets into them.